SHELL

HEREDOC script into var

VAR=$(cat <<'END_HEREDOC'
abc'asdf"
$(dont-execute-this)
foo"bar"''
END_HEREDOC
)

# this will echo variable with new lines intact
echo "$VAR"
# this will echo variable without new lines (changed to space character)
echo $VAR

HEREDOC script into var

define VAR <<'EOF'
abc'asdf"
$(dont-execute-this)
foo"bar"''
EOF

echo "$VAR"

HEREDOC script into var

VAR=<<END
abc
END

HEREDOC script into var

export A=`cat <<END
sdfsdf
sdfsdf
sdfsfds
END
` ; echo $A

HEREDOC script into var

export A=$(cat <<END
sdfsdf
sdfsdf
sdfsfds
END
) ; echo $A